Kocharian Assesses Past Mistakes

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–In an interview Monday with Armenia’s broadcast services–President Robert Kocharian discussed some of the approaches of the previous regime and pointed out the mistakes which could have been avoided.

One of the issues Kocharian stressed was the way in which privatization was handled by the previous regime. He stated that businesses–corporations and factories were privatized at a low cost–without the authorities creating follow-up mechanisms and methods by which those privatized enterprises would give back to the state.

He said that privatization became similar to owning a product. Kocharian also stated that voucherized privatization did not also work in the interest of the state.

Other matters about which Kocharian commented included the posturing of the previous regime regarding the 1915 Armenian Genocide. The president said that following Armenia’s independence methods of garnering international recognition for the Armenian Genocide could have been addressed and implemented.

Another aspect of his criticism dealt with the previous regime’s approach toward peace in the region and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Kocharian said Armenia’s posturing on the Karabakh issue since 1996–which was "conciliatory and was not comprehensively formulated–led many to believe that only Karabakh wanted independence and that Armenia would settle with whatever approach that was decided for Karabakh."

He added that relying on Karabakh’s resources alone was insufficient to properly raise the Karabakh question within international forums.

In providing an evaluation of the former regime–one of the biggest deman’s put forth by Kocharian’s opposition–the president stated the before such an assessment is made the proper parameters must be established.

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